LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Coach Jerry Tarkanian's legacy lives on at the UNLV campus along with the National Championship win that was more than three decades ago.
Fast forward to 2024 and that moment is still one that gives chills to any UNLV fan who was there for that amazing time in Rebel history. It's a moment that is forever etched in Las Vegas sports history.
The Runnin' Rebels 30-point torching over the Duke Blue Devils was, and still is, the largest margin of victory for a national championship game.
Danny Tarkanian, the son of coach Jerry Tarkanian, says all these years later, the memories are still vivid.
"It was a wonderful feeling because when you talk about when the buzzer sounded, we got such a comfortable lead that it actually felt good for 10 or 20 minutes before the game ended, where you knew they were going to win," Tarkanian said.
In that 1989-1990 season, the team finished 35-5, finished as the number-two ranked team in the regular season, and became the only team in NCAA tournament history to average 95 points per game.
They haven't been back to the championship game since. However, this year we saw the Runnin' Rebels win their first postseason game in over a decade.
Tarkanian says he thinks this team has the chance get back to the Big Dance.
"When you have DJ Thomas, who can get the ball to people, get good open shots, and he himself can score, the potential is unlimited."
